Never Give Up

I have heard two different ministers recently say something that really resonated with me. They said, “The Christian life is not just hard to live, it’s impossible to live. There is only one person who can live the Christian life and that is Jesus Christ!”

This is actually really good news for Christians since Jesus lives in us and is totally willing to live His life through us as we rest in Him.

This audio post project that I am doing for my website is the SLOWEST process I have EVER been involved in. PAINFULLY SLOW! There is just so much to it and I have made so many mistakes along the way that have resulted in me having to start all over (in some cases) or at least back track quite a bit. It has just been this huge learning process for me.

The good side to this project is that I do love to figure stuff out. I get so excited when I ‘crack the code’ (so to speak) to anything I am trying to solve. Still yet, just the nature of recording and editing, although it is fun and creative in one way, it can also be mentally exhausting. Many times I have to record the same line over and over again and then sit there and listen to myself talk in my headphones while editing.

I was editing the other day and started singing, “This is so boring, that I think I’m gonna scream!” Actually, I have never been so tempted to give up on something in my entire life, but I know I’m suppose to continue this project, remembering that all things are possible with God.

So I have had to make a choice in how to handle this difficult task over the past 5 months. I have sometimes chosen to worry more than I have chosen to believe. I haven’t worried constantly, but especially in the first 3-4 months I would vacillate back and forth between being an Unbelieving Believer and a Believing Believer.  Of course this did not help me at all. Worry never does help. Instead, it resulted in frustration more often than I would like to admit and definitely more often than I am used to – since I am now used to living in peace and rest the majority of the time.

Then in November God gave me an idea to do something very simple that has really helped me. He reminded me of the old worship song, “God will make a way, where there seems to be no way, He works in ways we cannot see, God will make a way for me…”

So now when I am sitting here and the devil tries to convince me of the worst by screaming, “This is never going to get done” or “You’re wasting your time,” I hold my head up high (in faith) and sing my song. It doesn’t matter what I feel like. If I feel like crying I still sing my song. If I feel like blowing up in anger, I sing my song. And I say out loud, “This project will get done and these audio posts will be a blessing to many, many people!”

Interestingly enough, since I have now chosen to remain at rest and trust in Christ’s power, wisdom and ability in me – the Holy Spirit keeps helping me discover new things about this app that I am using, Adobe Audition, that is making this project easier and easier!

You see, God is always supplying His grace to us, but sometimes we stop up the pipeline of His supply with our unbelief; therefore, we are no longer able to receive His grace.

Not being able to receive God’s grace results in us becoming agitated, disturbed, fearful, intimidated, cowardly and unsettled. But the good news is, we can always make the choice to start being a Believing Believer again, remembering that although we cannot live this Christian life on our own, Jesus can and will live in and through us as we rest in Him. In fact, if we are truly believing then we will be in rest. Rest and peace are the natural results from trusting in God! (read John 14:26-27 in the Amplified).

The Apostle Paul said,

But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by His grace.  (1 Corinthians 15:10- NLT)

Although this project has been the SLOWEST project I have ever been involved in and it continues to require me to look to the perfectly patient One (Jesus), Who is living in me, it’s all good because someday soon I will be able to look back on this and remember how God was faithful and how He had the answers all along and how He taught me to trust in Him in a deeper way than ever before. 

If you have not yet made Jesus your Savior and received the wonderful joy that His finished work on the cross has provided for you to live in, please visit my page here titled Jesus In The Driver’s Seat. On this page I explain the good news of the gospel and you will have the opportunity to pray a prayer of salvation, making Jesus your Savior! Jesus loves you and His arms are wide open!

Sandra McCollom